Covid Testing Specialist

Covid Testing Q & A

What is Covid testing?

Covid testing is a way to find out if the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID 19) virus is present in your body. The virus is highly contagious, and you can spread it to others even if you don’t have any symptoms yourself. 

Secure Health Partners offers a few types of Covid testing. Some can identify a current infection, while others can detect a past infection when the virus is no longer in your body. Some tests offer same-day results so you can have peace of mind right away. 

Testing is an important step in stopping the spread of the virus, and knowing your results can help you take the right steps to keep yourself and those around you safe.

What are my Covid testing options?

You can schedule any of the following FDA approved Covid tests at Secure Health Partners:

Rapid nasal antigen tests

You can get a rapid nasal antigen test without leaving your car. The testing provider uses a nasal swab to gather a fluid sample from the back of your nasal cavity. Then, they use antigen analyzers like the BD Veritor™ system or the Quidel® Sofia® SARS Antigen Fluorescent Immunoassay (FIA) to detect proteins on the active virus within minutes. 

Saliva PCR tests

Saliva PCR tests, also called molecular tests, require a sample of your saliva. You can take home a kit to provide your sample on your own, and the results confirm whether the virus’s DNA is present in the sample. You’ll get the results via email within a few days of returning your sample.

Serum antibody tests

Serum antibody tests detect past infections of the virus by assessing your immune system for antibodies it has made to protect you from future infections. These tests cannot detect a current infection, but they can detect antibodies in as little as a week after your symptoms go away. The test requires a blood draw in person at Secure Health Partners, which they send to a lab. 

Dried blood spot (fingerstick) antibody tests

A dried blood spot antibody test comes in a kit that you can take home to perform the test yourself. You send your sample in according to the testing kit’s instructions and receive your results in the mail or via email within days. 

When should I schedule a Covid test?

It’s important to schedule a Covid test for an active infection if you experience any of the common symptoms of COVID-19. Even if you’ve been vaccinated, you should come in for a rapid nasal antigen test or a saliva PCR test if you experience:

• Fever or chills

• Headache

• Fatigue

• Loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Coughing

• Body aches

• Diarrhea

• Nausea or vomiting

You should also schedule either of those tests if someone you know, and have been in close contact with, has received a positive test result, even if you don’t have any symptoms.
To learn more about Covid testing, go to https://www.securehealthpartners.com/contents/test for online booking or call Secure Health Partners today.